The Caretakers by Eliza Maxwell

The Caretakers

by Eliza Maxwell
Published: Lake Union Publishing, 2020
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Amazon, Goodreads

“Keep my secrets,” it whispers in her ear. “For my secrets are yours.”

About the book

Filmmaker Tessa Shepherd helped free a man she believed was wrongly imprisoned for murder. When he kills again, Tessa’s life is upended.

She’s reeling with guilt, her reputation destroyed. Worse, Tessa’s mother has unexpectedly passed away, and her sister, Margot, turns on her after tensions from their past escalate. Hounded by a bullying press, Tessa needs an escape. That’s when she learns of a strange inheritance bequeathed by her mother: a derelict and isolated estate known as Fallbrook. It seems like the perfect refuge.

A crumbling monument to a gruesome history, the mansion has been abandoned by all but two elderly sisters retained as caretakers. They are also guardians of all its mysteries. As the house starts revealing its dark secrets, Tessa must face her fears and right the wrongs of her past to save herself and her relationship with Margot. But nothing and no one at Fallbrook are what they seem.

Review

The Caretakers is a captivating mystery that illustrates the bond between sisters and the impact secrets can have.

Tessa, a filmmaker with a strained relationship with her sister Margot, attends the release of inmate Oliver Barlow who, after 14 years in prison, is free thanks to Tessa’s film which showed lack of circumstantial evidence in Oliver’s trial.

Several months later, Tessa receives the shock of her life when Oliver kidnaps Chief Winters’s daughter and proclaims to have killed her. The next day Tessa experiences a death in her family, leading her back home to her estranged sister and the revelation that their mother was adopted. Facing the blowout from Oliver’s actions, Tessa travels to a remote home in the Pennsylvania woods that is now hers. 

Kitty and Deirdre, sisters whose mother once worked for a wealthy family, live on the old estate as caretakers. Yet, they both old dark secrets about what really happened in the murder of their benefactors. 

The stories of Tessa and Margot and Kitty and Deirdre slowly come together in a surprising, yet satisfying, way.

The Caretakers has multiple storylines and, at times, it’s confusing why these plots would be included together but I promise it’ll come together in the end!

I found it very difficult to pull away from this novel; the dramatic suspense was timed skillfully and the writing very gripping. Along with the action, I also appreciated the complex family relationship with both set of sisters. Though there were a few scenes that I foresaw, the novel is filled with good ole twists and turns to keep the storyline interesting.

I’d recommend The Caretakers to any mystery/thriller fans. 

The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James

The Sun Down Motel

by Simone St. James
Published: Berkley, 2020
Pages: 336
Genre: Thriller, Mystery
Amazon, Goodreads

“Some of us like the dark. It’s what we know.”

About the book

Upstate NY, 1982. Every small town like Fell, New York, has a place like the Sun Down Motel. Some customers are from out of town, passing through on their way to someplace better. Some are locals, trying to hide their secrets. Viv Delaney works as the night clerk to pay for her move to New York City. But something isn't right at the Sun Down, and before long she's determined to uncover all of the secrets hidden…

Review

The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James is a captivating paranormal thriller that you won’t want to put down.

Reeling from the death of her mother, true crime fan Carly leaves college to investigate the disappearance of her Aunt Viv from Fell, New York thirty-five years ago at the Sun Down Motel. Carly arrives to find to the motel unchanged, and Viv’s job as night clerk open; she takes the job in order to get closer to finding out what really happened the night her aunt went missing. Carly soon learns that there’s more than just dust and empty motel rooms at the Sun Down as doors start slamming open, lights flicker on and off and a mysterious smell of smoke appears… and it turns out there’s more to Viv’s disappearance. 

Alternating between the perspectives of Viv and Carly, the story is creepy and so so interesting. The plot is my favorite part of the book; a sinister, run down motel in a small town where a young woman disappeared over thirty years ago. St. James’s writing is engaging and addictive. I devoured half this book in one day. There are twists and turns that left me dazed! 

There’s another aspect I loved about the book: the thought that we can have a dark part of ourselves that’s attracted to the wicked, whether it be horror movies or ghastly true crime stories. I feel like I have this as well. I’ve always loved grotesque horror and the sinister unknown.

I’ve also read The Broken Girls by St. James, and I like the Sun Down Motel better because I enjoyed the storyline more. 

The Sun Down Motel is definitely worth the read if you’re in the mood for a good ghostly thriller!

RATING (out of five puppies)

The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware

The Turn of the Key

by Ruth Ware
Published: Scout Press, 2019
Pages: 352
Genre: Thriller, Mystery
Amazon, Goodreads

After a while he just stopped sleeping. He just used to pace backwards and forwards all night long.Then he went mad. People do go mad, you know, if you stop them from sleeping for long enough…

About the book

When Rowan Caine stumbles across the ad, she's looking for something else completely. But it seems like too good an opportunity to miss -- a live-in nanny post, with a staggeringly generous salary. And when she arrives at Heatherbrae House, she is smitten -- by the luxurious "smart" home fitted out with all modern conveniences, by the beautiful Scottish Highlands, and by this picture-perfect family.

What she doesn't know is that she's stepping into a nightmare -- one that will end with a child dead and herself in prison awaiting trial for murder.

Writing to her lawyer from prison, she struggles to explain the unraveling events that led to her incarceration. It wasn't just the constant surveillance from the cameras installed around the house, or the malfunctioning technology that woke the household with booming music or turned the lights off at the worst possible time. It wasn't just the girls, who turned out to be a far cry from the immaculately behaved model children she met at her interview. It wasn't even the way she was left alone for weeks at a time, with no adults around apart from the enigmatic handyman, Jack Grant. It was everything.

She knows she's made mistakes. She admits that she lied to obtain the post, and that her behavior toward the children wasn't always ideal. She's not innocent, by any means. But, she maintains, she's not guilty -- at least not of murder. Which means someone is.

Review

I devoured this bitch in one day. The Turn of the Key is chilling, spell-binding and crazy.

A British nanny travels to remote Scotland for an in residency job, only for things to go horribly astray in the worst way - the death of an innocent child. The novel’s strongest selling point is how it’s told in the form of a letter of the nanny, who’s facing charges of the child’s murder. Rowan tells her story in a desperate plea to convince a top-natch solicitor to defend her in court.

The story is given that much more mystery and intrigue by this story-telling technique; it makes the reader immediately drawn into the plot and questioning who killed a child and WTF is actually happening? Even once Rowan reveals her tale, the author keeps up the level of suspense and mystique. Rowan also proves herself to be a somewhat unreliable narrator - she’s prone to quick anger and readers can tell she’s hiding something, though it’s not clear what until the end of the novel. Seriously though, the twists and turns in this novel will leave you with whip lash!

It’s really interesting how The Turn of the Key is both modern yet Victorian, like an older Gothic mystery story. At times I kept forgetting that the novel is set in this century. To me, this juxtaposition shows how evil and horror can take place anywhere, even in modern times.

The Turn of the Key is a FANTASTIC read; I’d recommend it to anyone wanting a good, spooky read.

RATING (out of five puppies):

Midwinterblood

Midwinterblood

By Marcus Sedgwick
Published: Roaring Brook Press, 2013
Pages: 288
Genre: Young Adult, Mystery/Thriller
Amazon, Goodreads

It cannot be, he thinks, that when our life is run, we are done. There must be more than that, surely?

That we are not just one, but a multitude. 

About the book

In 2073 on the remote and secretive island of Blessed, where rumor has it that no one ages and no children are born, a visitor arrives. He is greeted warmly, but something is wrong. Something is hidden on the far side of the island. Something that, as if in a dream, he cannot reach.

And so it is that under the light of the waxing and waning moon, seven stories unfold: the story of an archaeologist who unearths a mysterious artifact; of an airman who finds himself far from home; of a painter, a ghost, a vampire, and a Viking. And the story of life so primal and passionate it slips the bonds of time.

Review

Urgh, I so wanted to like this book. I really enjoyed the premise behind the story and how everything ties together... yet I found the writing to be on the dull side.

The author sets up an eerie atmosphere on a strange, mystical location far, far away - an isolated island where freakish things are happening. This tone continues throughout the book until the very end, where the reader FINALLY uncovers what's going down. This is not a story of horror or mystery, but rather one of love.

I'm not a fan of the author's sentence structure, which is very simple and uninspiring, or writing style.

In half an hour, Isabella shrieks.
She actually shrieks.
"Oh God! I think I found something!" 
She has.

Now why, he thinks, would they print a map of only half the island?
That would be stupid. Unless, unless, unless you wanted to keep half of it secret.
He knows he's on to something.

I think Midwinterblood reads more of a middle grade level... I got bored easily while reading it. This book may be for others, but wasn't for me.

RATING (out of five puppies)

Two Can Keep a Secret

Two Can Keep a Secret

By Karen M. McManus
Published: Delacorte Press, 2019
Pages: 327
Genre: Young Adult, Mystery
Amazon, Goodreads

There's something deeply, fundamentally satisfying about confronting a monster and escaping unscathed.

Real monsters aren't like that. They don't let go.

About the book

Echo Ridge is small-town America. Ellery's never been there, but she's heard all about it. Her aunt went missing there at age seventeen. And only five years ago, a homecoming queen put the town on the map when she was killed. Now Ellery has to move there to live with a grandmother she barely knows.

The town is picture-perfect, but it's hiding secrets. And before school even begins for Ellery, someone declares open season on homecoming, promising to make it as dangerous as it was five years ago. Then, almost as if to prove it, another girl goes missing.

Ellery knows all about secrets. Her mother has them; her grandmother does too. And the longer she's in Echo Ridge, the clearer it becomes that everyone there is hiding something. The thing is, secrets are dangerous - and most people aren't good at keeping them. Which is why in Echo Ridge, it's safest to keep your secrets to yourself.

Review

I have to admit, I was sooo disappointed in Two Can Keep a Secret. The author's first book, One of Us is Lying, was one of my favorite reads of 2018. I had high expectations for her second novel, and I was definitely let down.

The main issue I had with the novel was the writing; it was dull, uninspired and felt forced at times. I kept getting bored while reading the story and only finished because I had liked the author's first book so much.

The plot is interesting and is unique like the storyline of One of Us is Lying; both are super mysterious and creepy. I enjoyed the atmosphere of Echo Ridge, it has that small-town feel that is also sinister. I'm wondering what the purpose of the hit-and-run accident at the beginning is for in regards to the storyline. I believed it to be distracting from the main plot.

As for the characters, I enjoyed Ellery's and Ezra's characterizations. They seemed like REAL people to me; however, I felt like they were poorly developed, along with the rest of the characters in the story.

Unfortunately, Two Can Keep a Secret is not a novel I'd recommend to anyone.

RATING (out of five puppies):

Neverwhere

Neverwhere

By Neil Gaiman
Published: William Morrow, 2015 (my version)
Pages: 318
Genre: Mystery, Fantasy
Amazon, Goodreads

"What's it like being dead? It's very cold, my friend. Very dark, and very cold."

About the book

Neverwhere is the story of Richard Mayhew, a young London businessman with a good heart and an ordinary life, which is changed forever when he discovers a girl bleeding on the sidewalk. He stops to help her - an act of kindness that plunges him into a world he never dreamed existed.

Sleeping through the cracks of reality, Richard lands in Neverwhere - a London of shadows and darkness, monsters and saints, murderers and angels that exists entirely in a subterranean labyrinth. The Neverwhere is home to Door, the mysterious girl Richard helped in the London Above. Door, a noblewoman whose family has been murdered, is on a quest to find the agent that slaughtered her family and thwart the destruction of this underworld kingdom. If Richard is ever to return to his former life, he must join the journey to save Door's world - and find a way to survive.

Review

In Nevermore, Neil Gaiman writes an engaging, mystical story that's a blend of fantasy, mythology, mystery, and horror. This novel is well-written and enchanting with a solid plot. I was surprised by the tone of horror and fantasy; I knew an underground world was in the plot but I was pleasantly surprised by the aura of total creepiness.

I felt the novel expressed a central theme of doing what you feel is right in life and doing what makes you happy. Richard, the protagonist, experiences this, which is all I can say without giving away spoilers. I think this is an important topic; there is too many today that feel they have to act a certain way, pretend to be a certain type of person that isn't true to who they are. It's only through being true to ourselves that we can obtain happiness. At least, that's what I believe to be true... I'm not actually at the stage yet myself.

Speaking of Richard, I did NOT like his character. I found him to be annoying, whimpy and whiny. He constantly asked dumb questions and complained all the time. That's that main thing I disliked about Neverwhere. Richard does go through a transformation through the story, from a coward to a hero. He was still super annoying, though. I also didn't feel any kind of connection to Door, which I believe to be a downer since she is a major part of the plot.

Neverwhere is still an enjoyable, compelling mystery for those who also like a little fantasy and horror in their books.

RATING (out of five puppies)

Haunted Ground

Haunted Ground

By Erin Hart
Published: Scribner, 2003
Pages: 328
Genre: Mystery
Amazon, Goodreads

Their beliefs, their ideals, their intentions are all present with these sodden old logs ... and these, ladies and gentlemen, are some of the only concrete clues we have as to what their whole society and way of life was like. I invite you to become the discoverers of what lies in this hallowed ground.

About this novel: When Irish farmers make a gruesome discovery - the preserved head of a young woman with bright red hair - Cormac Maguire, Irish archeologist, and Nora Gavin, American pathologist, team up in the case. The woman's head could have been buried at any time - even decades ago - due to how peat bog prevents decay. While Cormac and Nora investigate the young woman's remains, they find themselves in the middle of another mystery: the disappearance of Mina Osborne and her young son. As time starts to run out, Cormac and Nora must traverse through the mysteries surrounding them while also battling old wounds.

Haunted Ground is a decent debut novel that's an OK but not great read. The background and setting of this book - Ireland's bog lands - is captivating but the writing is a little dull at times. The plot is solid in generally but I felt like this book was almost about two different stories: the woman's head and Mina's disappearance. They aren't really connected, except towards the end (I don't reveal spoilers!) and even then I was a little disappointed. I also was able to guess who the "killer" was not that far into the novel, but I was never actually sure who it was until the end.

I did like the characters, though, and generally enjoyed reading the novel. I'd recommend it to those who love a decent mystery story.

RATING (out of five puppies):

Awakening

Awakening

By S.J. Bolton (or Sharon Bolton)
Published: Minotaur Books, 2009
Pages: 393
Genre: Thriller, Mystery
Amazon, Goodreads

All around the room, the creatures watched me with their round, black pupiles, their slender bodies swaying to and fro, tracking my movements, their tiny tongues working overtime, flickering in and out, tasting the air, tasting me. Foe or food? They weren't sure.

About the book: Veterinary surgeon Clara Denning is young and intelligent, but an almost recluse because of a horrid scar that leaves her disfigured. Her expertise is needed when a local man dies of a snake bite, but she's alarmed to learn that the victim's body has an unusually high concentration of snake venom, meaning the victim's killer is human. Clara unravels sinister links to an ritual, an abandoned house, and a fifty-year tragedy that's left survivors secretive. Someone still wants the truth buried, though, even if they have to kill for it.

Awakening is an intriguing, cozy-up-by-the-fire mystery read. Throughout the story, you can't guess who the killer will be until the climax. This book stands out in the mystery genre because SNAKES are used to kill people, and it takes place in rural England. Bolton gives the backdrop a very gothic-literature-like-vibe that I immensely enjoyed. I can tell Bolton conducted thorough research before writing this gem - it feels so believable to me. Not only does Awakening contain snakes, but the story also deals with religious fervor. I was surprised that the Church of Latter Rain and the Church of God with Signs Following really did exist, and mostly followed doctrines discussed in Bolton's novel.

OK, so Awakening speaks to me in another way as well - Clara, who was horribly disfigured following a childhood accident when her mother was neglecting her. I, like Clara, am very introverted and oftentimes a near recluse because I tire of being around people easily. As the story progresses, Clara learns that others don't see the way she often sees herself: as a monster. Awakening makes a statement about beauty being in the eyes of the beholder; Sean and Matt viewed her as attractive, despite her very unattractive scars. I always enjoy books like Awakening, that are more than just another mystery novel. Clara is also a headstrong, intelligent, strong woman, which is ALWAYS my favorite kind of protagonist.

The one complaint I do have is the novel was slow at times. About halfway through, I almost DNF'ed but I figured I was more than 50% done with it and it wasn't like it was bad so I just continued to read it. I still really enjoyed it, though, and I plan to check out the author's other works, too!

RATING (out of five puppies):

These Shallow Graves

These Shallow Graves

By Jennifer Donnelly
Published: Delacorte Press, 2015
Pages: 487
Genre: Young Adult, Mystery, Historical Fiction
Amazon, Goodreads

"If you're going to bury the past, bury it deep, girl. Shallow graves always give up their dead."

About the novel: In 1890s New York City, Jo Montfort has everything: money, popularity, a good family and an expected engagement to the most sought-after bachelor. There's something inside Jo, though, that yearns for journalism, to write the stories of those facing adversity. Jo's sheltered life comes to a halt when her father dies and she discovers that he was murdered. With the help of reporter Eddie, Jo becomes lost in a world of secrets and must decide who the real villain is and who she wants to become.

I lovedddd Jo Montfort... she's everything I want in a main female character: brave and intelligent while also kind and good-natured. Strong female characters really speak to me - they're what I wish I was in real life. I didn't pay much attention to the book's description so I was pleasantly surprised when I saw that Jo was interested in reporting (I work in the newsroom of a newspaper myself). Jo's character is my favorite part of These Shallow Graves. The other characters were just as well-written and gripping as Jo.

I also liked how the book turned a corner in its plot: Donnelly highlighted an unexpected friendship as Jo grows into herself as a person and learns what real friendships are all about. Women, both in real life and in media, are constantly pitted against each other when in reality us ladies need to stick together. The book also shows how our past can never be buried or forgotten; we need to deal with our demons and embrace our past or we will be forever haunted (trust me, that's something I'm currently working on).

These Shallow Graves felt too long sometimes, and I could guess the true bad guy almost halfway into the novel. I liked the book but it wasn't quite as spellbinding as other reviews say it is. I enjoyed it overall (especially the characters), but I felt like the writing fell a bit short.

RATING (out of five puppies):

A Case of Need

A Case of Need

By Michael Crichton
Published: Open Road Media Mystery and Thriller, 2013
Pages: 434
Genre: Thriller, Mystery
Amazon, Goodreads

"Is fire always right?"

"No," he said. "But it is always hot and compelling."

About the book: In 1960s Boston, the Randall family is a highly esteemed family of doctors. The medial community goes into a frenzy when surgeon JD Randall's daughter dies from a botched, illegal abortion. Is it malpractice or something more sinister?

A Case of Need is a solid medical drama thriller for those who enjoy the genre and subject. It was written by Michael Crichton after he finished medical school in 1968. As a debut, it's an alright book. A Case of Need is certainly not Jurassic Park or Congo, but it's not bad for a free ebook on Amazon.

This novel is not something I'd be dying to read, nor did it keep me up at night. The characters were well-written, and, honestly, every time I read a Michael Crichton book I learn something new. Some say his books are dated but I imagine they were cutting edge when first published. I don't mind reading "outdated" books because it reminds me how far technology has come these days.

I wouldn't say A Case of Need is very suspenseful, but I would recommend it to those who like medical dramas like Grey's Anatomy. I thought it was OK and something I enjoyed reading while searching for the right book to read.

RATING (out of five puppies):

The Butterfly Garden

The Butterfly Garden

By Dot Hutchison
Published: Thomas and Mercer, 2016
Pages: 288
Genre: Thriller, Mystery
Amazon, Goodreads

"Why do you mark us?"
"Because a garden must have its butterflies."

Wow, talk about taking me by surprise! The Butterfly Garden is an engaging, wonderfully written novel about a man who kidnaps teenagers and holds them against their will in a beautiful garden that holds gruesome secrets.

I absolutely loved the characters. They're all so well-written and eloquent, even the antagonist of the story - the Gardener and his cruel son Avery. I felt deeply for all of the girls stuck in the Gardner's sick fantasy... Maya, Lyonette, Bliss are all characters that I could FEEL them, feel what they were feeling and feel their heartbreak when one of the other girls went "away."

The Butterfly Garden is filled with horrors, a place constructed by a mentally unstable man who creates a garden within a garden to keep young girls and rapes them and then preserves them. The novel truly exhibits how something utterly beautiful can also be horrendous.

I loved this novel. It's truly a gem that I would not have bothered taking a second glance at until I saw a Goodreads review from someone I follow. I hope that my readers that enjoy thrillers give The Butterfly Garden a chance.

RATING (out of five puppies):